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ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL

Corey Haim Dies

Aired March 10, 2010 - 19:00:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HLN ANCHOR: Tonight, an `80s icon is dead. Former childhood superstar, Corey Haim collapsed inside his mother`s apartment. He was only 38 years old. Cops say it appears to be an accidental drug overdose, but Corey`s agent disputes that. We`ll talk to him tonight.

Corey`s death, just the latest in a slew of tragic deaths involving young Hollywood; what`s wrong with tinsel town?

And Casey Anthony clears the hurdles she` now one step closer to having taxpayers pay for her legal fees. That`s right, Casey has an all- star team of lawyers, but the county has declared her indigent.

Meanwhile, new evidence just released today including DNA results. There`s just one tine problem, none of it seems to make any sense. What does this mean for the case? And are new big money problems on the horizon for Casey?

Plus, an incredibly courageous 7-year-old boy saves his entire family, calling 911, as three armed men break into his house.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BATINA, 911 DISPATCHER: 911, state your emergency.

CARLOS: Um, there`s some guys, they`re going to kill my mom and dad. Can you come?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: We`ll have all the astounding details about this brave little boy.

ISSUES starts now.

Tonight: the sudden, sad and shocking death of former teen heartthrob Corey Haim at age 38. The one-time child star collapsed in the wee hours of the morning right in front of his mom at their Los Angeles apartment. Cops say his death appears to be accidental, and may -- may -- may have been due to an overdose. The toxicology results aren`t back yet.

An overdose? Well, Haim have battled a serious drug problem for years, but he was supposedly clean and sober for a while now. Listen to what he told TMZ just three weeks ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you doing now?

COREY HAIM, ACTOR: Really good. Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Doing much better?

HAIM: Well.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You`re looking good, man.

HAIM: Thanks, man.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You`re looking good.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Corey, are you doing anything new?

HAIM: Yes, I`ve got a whole bunch of things coming up. And I`m directing for the first time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Corey hit the peak of his acting career in 1987, playing a vampire hunter in "Lost Boys." After his rise to fame, he basically hit rock bottom, drug and alcohol addiction, his weight soared to more than 300 pounds, he had a slew of medical issues and multiple stints in rehab.

For the past few days, Corey reportedly had flu-like symptoms and was running a low-grade fever. Cops say his mom was giving him, quote, "various over the counter medications," end quote. The L.A. coroner added this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ED WINTER, ASSISTANT CHIEF LA COUNTY CORONER: We found no illicit drugs, however, we did recover four of his prescription meds at the location. I don`t know what the drugs are right now. But I haven`t taken a look at them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ok.

WINTER: They were in his name though. It`s a tragedy. We`re losing too many young people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Ok. That`s called medicine and prescription drugs.

And then listen to this, Corey`s agent who is joining us tonight says the death might have come as a bad reaction to medication Corey was taking as part of his sobriety program, or maybe all of the above.

We`re just now learning that Corey was under the care of a so-called addictionologist (ph). What does that mean? We`re going analyze that with a panel of addiction experts in a moment.

I want to hear from you. Were you stunned by this tragic news, as well? Call me, 1-877-JVM-SAYS. 1-877-586-7297.

Straight out to my incredible expert panel: we`re delighted to have tonight, Mark Heaslip, Corey Haim`s agent. Mark, thank you so much for joining us tonight and our condolences go out to you and the Haim family. Also with us, Kristina Wandzilak, interventionist and founder of Full Circle Intervention, Kristina is the star of the new TLC Docu-reality show, "Addicted" which premieres in one week. Also Howard Samuels, co-founder of The Wonderland Treatment Center in Los Angeles. A.J. Hammer, host of HLN`s "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT"; great to have you.

And we begin with Mike Walters, assignment manager for TMZ.

Mike, you`ve got some new information. What is the very latest?

MIKE WALTERS, ASSIGNMENT MANAGER, TMZ: Well, Jane, obviously, before we go any further with the possible overdose, we have to get toxicology reports back. We have to see exactly from the autopsy what happened to Corey.

But like his agents here who talked to us about it, apparently he was sick, he saw a doctor the night before. But law enforcement, I have to say this, usually doesn`t come out and say, possible overdose, unless talking to people around him, including his mother and that`s what the feeling or what -- from the evidence they get, about what happened to him.

They did take four prescription bottles, they have not said what the drugs were exactly, but they are investigating several things involving what those bottles -- exactly what Corey could have taken.

And sometimes -- and I feel like I`m talking about Brittney Murphy, Jane, we just did this, where someone is sick, taking over-the-counter medication and possibly taking other prescription medication.

Could the mix have been deadly, I don`t know. That`s what they want to find out and we will find out from the autopsy and toxicology what exactly happened.

BEHAR: Corey Haim told TMZ he was doing good just three weeks ago. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you doing now?

HAIM: Good, thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Doing much better?

HAIM: Well.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are looking good, man.

HAIM: Thanks, man.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You`re looking good.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Corey, are you doing anything new?

HAIM: Yes, I`ve got a whole bunch of things coming up, man. I`m directing for the first time. I`ve got a few things happening.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right, here is my big issue. Let`s try to define sober.

In the past, Corey Haim had admitted to a serious problem with drugs, illegal prescription over the years. We`re talking, pot, cocaine, crack, valium and downers. He had been in and out of rehab. The coroner found these four prescription bottles at the scene.

But Corey`s agent we`re going to him right now, said in recent times he had been working hard on his sobriety and had an addictionologist who was helping him stay sober.

We are very pleased to have Mark Heaslip, Corey`s agent. Again, we`re so sorry for your loss. We`re just trying to figure out this mystery.

You were quoted as saying you thought, Corey may have had a bad reaction to meds he was given by his addictionologist as part of his sobriety treatment. Can you tell me what you know about this addictionologist treatment method?

MARK HEASLIP, COREY HAIM`S AGENT: Actually, it`s an addiction specialist, just to clear that --

BEHAR: Ok.

HEASLIP: Actually, he`s new. He actually -- Corey was doing so well, that he actually overcame the addiction of the medications and now he was going to go see the addiction specialist to help him with, you know, the recovery of it.

I actually brought Corey on about a year-and-a-half ago after he filmed the movie "Crank II High Voltage" and my agreement with Corey is I want him to remain clean, otherwise I`m not going to represent him as an agent. And Corey, the whole time I had him, we got him a great doctor, he got on to a program with the doctor. And --

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Did the doctor give him meds as part of his sobriety treatment?

HEASLIP: The doctor weaned him off meds.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: With other meds?

HEASLIP: Less dosages.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. Ok. Now, I want to say this. Again, I`m a recovering alcoholic and God willing, if I hang in until April, I`ll have 15 years, so I`m not here to point fingers. I`m just trying to understand, like everybody else.

We just got this word from TMZ that Corey Haim was so committed to winning his battle, he demanded a completely drug and alcohol free environment of the set of the movie he was working on when he died.

Nevertheless, Howard Samuels, co-founder of the Wonderland Treatment Center, when you hear that an addiction specialist is giving him meds to cure his -- or to combat his addiction to drugs, what is your reaction to that?

HOWARD SAMUELS, CO-FOUNDER, THE WONDERLAND CENTER: Well, my reaction is -- my reaction is that he`s detoxing. You only see a doctor who is an addiction specialist and giving meds if you`re detoxing or you`re manipulating the doctor to get drugs, because -- to feed your addiction. It`s either one or the other.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Ok. So I guess, Mark, what he`s saying is, most people who quit drugs go into a twelve-step program where you don`t use anything mood-altering, not just lowering the dosage to a less potent form of drug. What`s your reaction so that, Mark?

HEASLIP: I think there`s a -- I think Corey, if you completely -- at the time take him completely off the medication, I think he is going to want to get more pills and I think if you lower the dosage of the medication and kind of wean him down, with the addiction specialist, I think it -- that was the best -- I don`t know.

I saw Corey really improve. I watched him go from a very high number of down to almost as zero. Actually --

SAMUELS: Yes, and -- and that maybe --

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Ok. Guess what?

SAMUELS: That maybe -- that maybe true Mark --

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Wait. 60 seconds. I want to get your reaction on the other side of this very quick 60-second break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Corey Haim and his acting buddy, Corey Feldman appeared on "Larry King Live" in 2007. Listen to what Corey Haim said about getting sober back then.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COREY FELDMAN, ACTOR: I was sober by the time I was 18 years old.

LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": And when you stopped you stopped.

FELDMAN: Right.

KING: Never looked back. You it was longer, right?

HAIM: I was what you would call back then probably chronic relapser for the rest of my life. So I always try to stay. Not the rest of my life but I like to have a great support group around me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Howard Samuels, Wonderland Center, you were responding to Mark, Corey`s agent`s comment that --

SAMUELS: Yes.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: -- he was doing well by reducing the dosage of a drug.

SAMUELS: Right. And obviously, Corey was detoxing. This is a very important point. If he was detoxing at that extent, he should have been in a hospital and under 24-hour care and observation, because if that was the case, he wouldn`t have died. Because when you`re detoxing, you`re very tempted because you start to get a little sick, you`re very tempted to start to take more drugs than you should.

That`s why when anybody detoxes to this extent they have to be in a hospital or under nurse`s care and doctor`s care.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right, let me ask this, Mark. How long do you think he had been, quote, unquote, "sober"?

HEASLIP: Two weeks.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Oh, that`s all?

HEASLIP: Completely off all the medications, two weeks.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: But he says --

HEASLIP: He was on a very --

VELEZ-MITCHELL: But you said he was getting meds.

HEASLIP: He was getting a very small amount of them. Corey Haim`s tolerance, when I met him, he was at a very high number of medications. It would kill everybody.

But he got weaned down to literally zero medications in the last two weeks. And I`m hoping he didn`t take -- I know he had bottles that they got, but I`m hoping that he didn`t take any, because he -- for the last two weeks, he hasn`t been on anything.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: But I`ve got to clarify one more time. You`re saying that this doctor was weaning him off the hard stuff, but giving him less potent medicines and now you`re saying he was weaned down to zero. Those are two different things.

HEASLIP: He was weaned down to zero about two weeks ago and that`s why we got the addiction specialist. Because now it`s in his mind, now we need it, you know, that -- that`s the whole reason why we got the addiction specialist, to help him mentally.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right, Kristina Wandzilak, you are an interventionist and the star of the new show "Addiction." What`s your take on all of this?

KRISTINA WANDZILAK, INTERVENTIONIST, TLC`S "ADDICTED": I agree with the gentleman that stated that if Corey -- excuse me -- that if he was in a detox process, he should have been in some sort of care, where he would have been taken care of and overseen. I also think that as an interventionist and somebody that has worked with celebrities through the course of my years, that this is exactly the crux of the problem that, you know, celebrities are treated differently than, you know, like someone like myself that might need to be in a treatment facility.

If he was that addicted, if he was that severe into his disease, he should have been in care, but for one reason or another, he wasn`t. And that`s a challenge.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, and A.J. Hammer of "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT", thank you for your patience. We wanted to clarify these very nuanced addiction issues.

A.J. HAMMER, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Yes.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: It`s true. Celebrities are often given leeway that the average person wouldn`t be and it boomerangs on them.

HAMMER: Well, that`s the problem. You know, you have a situation where you`re so easily enabled by those people around you and Corey is a great example. And he`s always been very candid about his issues in the past. "The Lost Boys" is the movie he is perhaps best known from, that`s where he really exploded on to the scene back in the 1980s.

He said in the past it was during that filming, during the filming of that movie that he smoked his first joint. And that led to the first time he did cocaine. And the first time he did crack. And so on and so on which led to the revolving door in and out of rehab, relapsing on and off.

And I have to say, Jane, going back now, I`m a little disturbed hearing the revelation from Corey`s agent that it may have been perhaps two weeks as far as he knows since he was on these prescription meds that were perhaps helping him become weaned, because that takes the interaction theory with other over the counter medications away a little bit for me, which obviously we need to clarify.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, I am also quite shocked, actually, A.J., that it`s just been two weeks that he`s apparently been in this sobriety program. I thought he was clean and sober for a while. But let`s not jump to conclusions.

We`re coming back in a moment. More on the tragic death of actor Corey Haim and we`re taking your calls, 1-877-JVM-SAYS.

Another Hollywood actor found dead, another possibly overdose. Corey Haim struggled with addiction. Understanding why a reported 15 stints in rehab did not work.

And this is an amazing story; a fantastic 7-year-old boy. Look at him there. He`s a hero. He called 911. He has saved his entire family from gun-toting thugs!

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BATINA: 911. State your emergency.

CARLOS: Um, there`s some guys, they`re going to kill my mom and dad. Can you come?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING: How did you finally get rid of drugs?

HAIM: I didn`t like looking in the mirror anymore. I couldn`t do it. And tying my shoe like any way I could, because I could honestly rest my arms -- I hit about my peak about 302, but about 285, but 11 months ago with you. And now back to 150.

KING: You weighed 302 pounds?

HAIM: At my peak years ago but when I saw Corey --

KING: This is why you were addicted?

HAIM: I think I have an addiction to pretty much everything. I mean, I have to be very careful with myself, as far as that goes, which is why I have a support group around me consistently.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Corey Feldman and Corey Haim on "Larry King" in 2007. Over the years the best friends and acting buddies had their falling out, they did bounce back. Check this awkward moment, however, from just a few weeks ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Corey Haim, ladies and gentlemen. Corey Haim.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Holy (EXPLETIVE DELETED) Holy (EXPLETIVE DELETED) man.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on, no.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right, listen, Mark. You`re Corey Haim`s agent, and I appreciate you taking these questions, we`re trying to solve this mystery. I`m a little unclear. How long have you been representing Corey Haim?

HEASLIP: I`ve represented him about a year-and-a-half. I actually picked Corey Haim up right after the feature "Crank II High Voltage" with Jason Statham (ph).

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Ok.

HEASLIP: He got actually a good recommendation from Lions Gate --

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes.

HEASLIP: -- and they were saying he was ready for representation again.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Ok. So but you say that when you picked him up, you said you`re going to have to stay clean and sober, but now we`re hearing that you said he`s only been weaned off these hard drugs for the last two weeks. That -- those two things are conflicting to me.

HEASLIP: Actually, they`re not, because Corey`s was -- Corey`s dosage was almost down to zero from that day when I got him. When Corey overdoses, he slurs. He has a slur in his voice. And when I got Corey on -- after "Crank II High Voltage" they said he was wonderful to work with on the set. This guy is ready to come back. He`s an angel to all the other actors on the set.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Right, but I`m just saying in terms of the addiction aspect and again, I`m a recovering alcoholic, so I`m not trying to point fingers. I`m trying to understand. You`re saying that it was only two weeks that he was on this regimen to reduce his dosage, right?

HEASLIP: No.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: So that means he was high at least until two weeks ago, possibly -- let`s clarify it. Clarify it.

HEASLIP: I wouldn`t say --

VELEZ-MITCHELL: What was he doing in the last two weeks? What was that --

HEASLIP: Corey was working out, playing Frisbee.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: No, no, I mean as far as the -- the medications from his addiction specialist.

HEASLIP: The addiction specialist -- what do you mean, what was he doing for two weeks?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: What?

HEASLIP: What was your question?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: What was the addiction specialist giving him? You`re saying that he was clean and sober for the last two weeks because the addiction specialist was lowering him off hard drugs. That means two weeks prior he was doing harder drugs.

HEASLIP: Actually, the addiction specialist didn`t prescribe him those drugs. The addiction specialist was -- he was going there to get counseling to help mentally stay off drugs.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: We`ve got to clarify this. The fact is, that drug addiction means no mood-altering substances if you`re sober. Stay right there fantastic panel.

He shot to fame in the `80s in films like "The Lost Boys", but Corey Haim was a lost boy himself. We`re trying to understand his struggle with addiction and what caused his death.

Plus you don`t want to miss this. A 7-year-old boy outwits the bad guys after they burst into his home with guns.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARLOS, CALLED 911: They were next to the door with my mom and dad. My mom -- they were putting their hands up and their head down.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And where were you?

CARLOS: Me and my sister were at the bathroom calling 911.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. We have some breaking news in Corey Haim`s tragic death. We`re trying to figure out whether he was sober or not, and how to define that, given that he was supposedly getting meds to treat his sobriety. Very confusing.

Howard Samuels, please clarify.

HOWARD SAMUELS, CO-FOUNDER, THE WONDERLAND CENTER: Well, first of all, what I think mark is saying is that for the last two weeks, as far as he knows, mark has -- I mean, Corey was seeing a therapist or a counselor who was an addiction specialist, helping him in these two weeks -- his first two weeks of sobriety, off from the detox, right?

HEASLIP: Yes.

SAMUELS: Now, the problem -- the problem you`ve got here, if I`m correct, is that if he had medication at his apartment or his home, that was like pain killers, Vicodin, Oxycontin, the things that he was detoxing from, which the addiction specialist may not know, Corey could have od`d because he was clean and probably took --

VELEZ-MITCHELL: But even beyond that, I`m confused because I thought he was clean, according to you, Mark, for a year-and-a-half you said he was clean. You insisted he be clean and now you`re saying it`s just two weeks ago that he started detoxing. That`s two different things.

HEASLIP: When I brought Corey aboard Sterling Talent, I personally told him that for me to represent you I want you to get yourself clean completely. That`s going to be my first goal --

VELEZ-MITCHELL: So you`re saying it took him a year-and-a-half to get to that point? And he was high --

HEASLIP: Actually, no. He had periods where he stopped completely off -- you`re thinking he did this high dosage. He weaned himself down to almost hardly anything.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. But see here`s the thing, Christina. You`re the interventionist. A drop of alcohol is too much for an alcoholic. A drop of drugs is too much for a drug addict.

KRISTINA WANDZILAK, FOUNDER FULL CIRCLE INTERVENTION: That`s correct. That`s correct. And sobriety is abstinence from all mind and mood-altering chemicals, except for prescribed medication for mental illness or something to that effect. But in general, it`s abstinence from all mind and mood- altering chemicals.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: So that doesn`t add up to what you`re saying, Mark. I`m just trying to clarify. Either you`re sober or you`re not. It`s like being a little bit pregnant. You can`t just take some drugs and be almost off and call yourself sober.

HEASLIP: I think there is a difference, though, for Corey, because I think the amount that Corey was on years ago to where he got himself and working out in the gym and getting the proper help, I think -- I commend Corey. I thought he did a phenomenal job.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Go ahead, Howard.

SAMUELS: No. Mark, unfortunately, that`s the reason why Corey`s dead. And I`m going to cut right to the chase. That`s why Corey`s dead. Because he didn`t understand --

HEASLIP: Where were you guys when he needed the help?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Hold on.

SAMUELS: No one called me. I would have been there.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Hold on. Wait a second.

Why is it that that`s why you think he`s dead? Quickly.

SAMUELS: Well, because -- because it`s either all or nothing for a drug addict. It`s just what you said, Jane. You can`t be a little pregnant. You`re either off everything like I am, because I`m a recovering addict, too. I don`t take any drugs. None. That`s what makes me in recovery.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, I agree with you. I have bronchitis right now, and I cannot take any kind of over-the-counter -- one of those things that makes you go to sleep so you don`t cough all night, because as a recovering alcoholic, I can`t take that mood-altering substance.

Melody, Ohio, your question or thought quickly.

MELODY, OHIO: Hi Jane. I agree with you 100 percent with what you are saying, that is with the narcotics, they`re substituting this drug methadone as a maintenance drug. My other question being, if a person is on alcohol or they`re on crack cocaine, barbiturates -- I`ve never heard of anybody being on something for that --

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Got to leave it right there.

I want to thank my fantastic panel. Mark, we didn`t mean to put you on the spot. Just trying to get the answers here.

Next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Casey Anthony clears a hurdle, one step closer to having taxpayers pay for her legal fees. All this as cops release a ton of new DNA evidence. There`s just one teensy, tiny problem. None of it seems to make any sense. What will this mean for the case?

Plus, an incredibly courageous 7-year-old boy saves his entire family, calling 911 as three armed men break into his house.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

911 DISPATCHER: 911, state your emergency.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There`s some guys, they`re going to kill my mom and dad. Can you come? Please?

(END AUDIO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: We`ll have all the astounding details about this brave little boy.

And that is one cute kid. We`re going to cover that story in just a bit.

But first, mind-blowing new details in the Caylee Anthony murder case. First, a brand-new document dump with tons of DNA test results. There`s just one teensy, tiny little problem. They`re completely unreadable to us, anyway.

Prosecutors released tons of graphs. These are apparently the result of several DNA tests. That looks like a white piece of paper there, but there`s a lot of squiggles on it, believe me.

Investigators did DNA tests on Casey, her parents, and even her brother. DNA tests were also done on some of Caylee`s hair that were found in Casey`s trunk and showed one of those hairs came from Caylee`s head after she was already dead. That`s what the prosecution says.

Jose Baez tells ISSUES he wants his experts to double-check those results because they`re so crucial, and his team should have no problem understanding all these squiggles.

Plus, shocking new details about how much moolah Casey`s defense team is raking in. We have been wondering all along, we even asked Jose Baez when he was on issues a couple times.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Here is a question I know you`re not going to be able to answer. But you don`t just have good lawyers, you have a dream team and everybody in America is wondering how she is paying for this dream team?

JOSE BAEZ, ATTORNEY FOR CASEY ANTHONY: Well, that`s confidential, and I`m not in the business of revealing client confidences.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, this morning a court ruled Casey is flat broke. They call it indigent. She cannot pay for her own defense so taxpayers will have to foot the bill if a judge ok`s it. So now the cost of her defense is revealed for all to see.

Casey has already paid her two lead attorneys more than 100 clams -- actually, it`s 100,000 clams. She allegedly got some of that money for selling photos of Caylee to a major news network.

Plus, the shocking evidence Casey`s defense wants off the table. Will this chilling 911 call made by Casey`s mom, Cindy, make it into the courtroom?

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

CINDY ANTHONY, CAYLEE ANTHONY`S GRANDMOTHER: I found out my granddaughter has been taken. She has been missing for a month. Her mother finally admitted that she has been missing. Get someone here now.

911 DISPATCHER: Your daughter admitted that the baby is where?

ANTHONY: The babysitter took her a month ago, that my daughter`s been looking for her. There is something wrong. I found my daughter`s car today, and it smells like there`s been a dead body in the damn car.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Of course, the defense wants to keep that out.

Straight out to my fantastic panel: criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor, Mark Eiglarsh; and Aphrodite Jones, host of an amazing new series that is premiering tomorrow at 10:00 p.m. It`s called "True Crime" on Discovery -- Investigation Discovery, Investigation Discovery. Check it out.

And also joining me "In Session" correspondent on TruTV, Jean Casarez; Jean, what is the very latest?

JEAN CASAREZ, CORRESPONDENT, "IN SESSION": Well, the very latest has to do with the indigence of Casey Anthony. A court -- the clerk`s office determined she was indigent, flat broke. And now a judge will have to stamp it and sign it off.

Jane, what the defense is asking for are costs. They are not asking for legal fees, they are asking for costs. So she has been determined to be indigent for costs, meaning depositions and travel and expenses, everything that has to do with it.

But this hand-written application -- you`re right -- from Casey in her own handwriting shows that Jose Baez has been paid $89,454.83. She says, "paid by myself". And Andrea Lyon, $22,500, "paid by myself". But she also says she has no assets and no income.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: So I`m a little bit confused, Mark Eiglarsh. I thought she was flat broke when her child disappeared. We all know she didn`t have a job, she lied about it and said she was working at Universal and led cops on this wild chase down there, and they figured out she didn`t have a job. How did she get that money? I understand possibly deals?

MARK EIGLARSH, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Yes, possibly. We know that these photographs have been sold to numerous outlets.

Let me just say this. This isn`t shocking at all. First, there is no question at this point. We knew she would be able to claim insolvency. She doesn`t have anything. But every defendant in the state of Florida is entitled to have reasonable cost money.

Now, where does it become relevant to me where she is getting this money, is because now I`m being asked to pay for it. So now I do want to know how she was able to pay for Jose, how she is paying for Ann Lyons. Is there money coming in the future? Now we`ll all probably find out because the judge, Judge Strickland, hopefully will do a thorough inquiry as to how she had money and how she`s going to get money in the future.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Why didn`t she get a public defender right off the bat? If she was indigent at the time of this case starting, why didn`t they give her a public defender?

EIGLARSH: That is a great question, because she did not need one. Either Jose and Ann Lyon and others worked for free, or others paid their bill. That doesn`t mean they -- they have the ability to pay for costs.

I`ve been on a number of cases where clients have just enough money to hire me, but then they have no money to pay for depositions, investigators, experts, et cetera. And that`s what`s going on here.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Ok. And meantime, the defense wants to make sure jurors won`t see photographs of Casey partying it up while her daughter Caylee was missing.

These photos of Casey at a bar were reportedly taken after little Caylee had disappeared. There`s the mom who had claimed she was doing investigation to try to find the child. Some investigation, huh?

Now, Casey had not yet reported her daughter missing to police. She told investigators, oh, yes, this was an effort to find little Caylee.

Jean Casarez, obviously, that has got to be perhaps the most damaging evidence in terms of state of mind and motive.

CASAREZ: You`re right. Exactly, especially the photos that were five, six days after Caylee was last seen. That`s June 20th, June 21st. The defense is saying that it`s not relevant. It`s not relevant and even if it is relevant, it is so inflammatory that the jury is going to hold that prejudice against Casey Anthony.

You know, Jane, there`s photos from 2007, 2008; a lot of photos, all from her Photo Bucket. And I think judge may disallow the early-on ones. But those close in time, I think he might just say they`re relevant.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Aphrodite Jones, what`s your take on the defense move to get rid of these incriminating photos of her partying after her child disappears. And the 911 call where her mom says it smells like a dead body in the damn car, the two most incriminating things since we`ve heard about this case?

APHRODITE JONES, HOST, "TRUE CRIME": You know, Jane, you and I both know sitting in courtrooms for many years that the defense is going to do what they can to keep out things that are going to prejudice a jury, and that the judge ultimately has to make a decision whether or not -- on appeal that a prejudicial piece of information that may be considered irrelevant to the murder later can be used as a strategy to gain a new trial, to get somebody out of being convicted on appeal.

So it`s a fine line that we walk when we think in terms of what kind of evidence you let in and what don`t you let in? That said, Jane --

EIGLARSH: Jane, not all these photos should come in. Not all of them. I mean, you know, clearly those before her child went missing, arguably relevant. The prosecutor may say, look, she just wanted to party and wanted the daughter out of her life. Clearly, the ones after she went missing and she`s out partying for sure coming in.

Listen, Jane, if you had a speeding ticket and someone wanted to introduce photos of you ten years ago, in heavy, you know, alcoholism, what relevance does that show, you know?

(CROSSTALK)

CASAREZ: Can I finish my answer for you Jane?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Hey, I published a photo of myself drinking in my book. To make the point that it`s not a pretty picture. Go ahead, Jean Casarez.

CASAREZ: What I was going to say is, I think everybody is on board with this. I think the defense is mounting a fight, and they have to. This is a death penalty case. And there has to be strict scrutiny as to what comes in and what doesn`t because there can be reversible error.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: But -- your question or thought.

JONES: But Jane can I just make a point?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, go ahead.

JONES: What I wanted to say is this. While at the same time you have to walk the fine line, what`s going to be allowed in and what isn`t, at the end of the day if you relate the state of mind in terms of motive of this mother, the idea that she is at a nightclub partying days after her daughter is missing, and that it was caught on film, on camera, speaks to the fact that she basically has started a new chapter in her life.

And if you look at for example Scott Peterson, where it was a completely circumstantial case, one of the things that was brought into evidence was the fact that he had turned the nursery into a storage unit for all --

VELEZ-MITCHELL: That`s fascinating. Excellent point.

Jim, Maine, quick thought.

JIM, MAINE (via telephone): Hi, yes. I -- on this Caylee Anthony thing, they want to us pay it, taxes. Why can`t the judge just give her a public defender and get rid of these high-paying attorneys?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I asked the same question. I still don`t have a good answer for that Mark. I mean, she was broke when the whole case started.

EIGLARSH: She`s entitled to have the attorneys that she wants. Separate and apart from that, the law gives a defendant costs if they can`t afford it. He can`t just take away the attorneys. The public defenders` office, by the way, would be us paying for it anyway. So it`s the same thing.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, by the way, they say they`re going to give her $15,000 to handle this case. That will last her maybe a week and a half.

EIGLARSH: Right.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: What`s she going to do after that? We`re going to continue to stay on this story.

Thank you, fantastic panel and congratulations on your new show Aphrodite.

Straight ahead, an update on a missing hiker; she hasn`t been seen since last week. Could a flasher spotted on this trail have something to do with this woman`s disappearance?

Plus, a 7-year-old boy grabs his sister, hides in a bathroom, calls 911; saves his entire family when home invaders burst in. We are going to listen to this young man; we`re going to listen to the tapes. We`re going to take your calls. 1-877-586-7297.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: A brave, 7-year-old boy hides in a bathroom and calls 911 after armed men break into his house. This 911 call will give you the chills. Amazing story.

But first, "Top of the Block" tonight.

A heart-wrenching scenario playing out in the mountains of Washington State as a woman goes missing on a hiking trail. Did a flasher on that trail have anything to do with her disappearance?

Katherine Huether`s dad now with searchers; there has been no sign of her for almost a week. Still, he says his 24-year-old daughter is an experienced hiker. He`s hopeful she`s ok. One thing, however, bothers him big-time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BOB HUETHER, MISSING HIKER`S FATHER: She is confident in her ability and I`m confident in her ability. It`s just very -- some things are unusual, like she usually had her dog with her all the time when she would go hiking and she didn`t have her dog. And I think -- that -- that would make a big difference.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Katherine, last heard from when she texted a friend Thursday. Searchers did find her car; they also found a credit card receipt on the trail with her name on it. That`s fishy.

Deputies are looking at reports that a man was exposing himself to hikers on the trail the very day she disappeared in the same area where she was hiking.

Let us pray they find her alive. We`re going to stay on top of this one.

That`s tonight`s "Top of the Block".

Turning now to an unbelievable act of heroism by a terrified 7-year- old boy: for once we`re happy to report a happy ending. Three gunmen burst into his family`s California home Tuesday. Somehow, this little boy had the presence of mind to grab his little sister, hide in the bathroom and call police.

We want to warn you, this may be too frightening for little kids to hear. So you may want them to leave the room.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

CARLOS, CALLED 911 DURING HOME INVASION: Um, they come, they ring the door and they have guns to shoot my mom and dad.

MONIQUE BATINA, 911 DISPATCHER: Right now?

CARLOS: Yes. Can you come, really fast? Bring cops.

BATINA: Ok, I have them coming.

CARLOS: And a lot of them.

BATINA: Listen, I have them coming, hon. Ok?

CARLOS: Ok.

BATINA: Listen to me, take a deep breath. I already have the police coming.

CARLOS: And bring soldiers, too.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Did you catch that? Bring soldiers, too. What an amazing little fellow this is. The suspects fled before anybody got hurt. And they are still on the loose.

Police just held a news conference with little Carlos and the female dispatcher who took his call in order to keep his family safe. Police are not revealing Carlos`s last name. But listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Were you scared about that?

CARLOS: Just a little bit.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tell us -- tell us what the bad guys looked like.

CARLOS: They were -- they were having, like -- one of them was having just a jacket. And they both have guns. But there was three of them. One was -- one was outside, waiting for the other guy. The car was green. The other guy was running somewhere else.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: He`s an amazingly articulate little guy. You`re going to hear more from Carlos`s amazing 911 call and Carlos in a moment.

I`m thrilled to welcome the 911 dispatcher, Monique Batina. Monique, first of all bravo, way to go. Tell us --

BATINA (via telephone): Thank you so much.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: -- yes, you did a great job. Tell us what it was like to meet little Carlos in person and hear him talk in that same little voice that you heard so terrified on the 911 call.

BATINA: I was just actually so happy to see him. And be able to hug him. I was very nervous. I just wanted to hug him so quickly and let him know that I was so proud of him.

He was such a brave little guy and I wanted to let him know that he was my little hero and what he did was awesome. He did the right thing and I`m proud of him.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: He is really one of a kind. He`s the cutest little thing. And we can gush because it`s a happy ending.

Monique, let`s listen to you try to get more information about the boy and where he was hiding.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

BATINA: Listen, Hon, how old are you?

CARLOS: I`m 7 years old.

BATINA: Ok. Seven? Listen to me. Where are you at in the house?

CARLOS: Inside the bathroom.

BATINA: You`re in the bathroom?

CARLOS: Yes.

BATINA: Who is with you?

CARLOS: It`s my sister.

BATINA: How old is she?

CARLOS: Six years old. Can you come really fast? Hurry up.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Oh, my gosh, Monique, you must have been terrified, not knowing whether these children were being attacked while you`re at the other end of the phone. It`s got to be a terrible feeling of helplessness.

BATINA: Oh, it definitely was. I mean, feeling the fear through the tone and in his voice, both of them. I could just -- both of them right there, it was just -- it was definitely tough. It was hard to swallow.

But in order to keep my cool and keep him calm, I had to just -- I had to find another out. I had to find another way and find a way to keep him calm and help me keep -- keep me calm.

And I knew the longer I kept them on the phone, the better we both were emotionally. I mean, it was -- it was so emotionally hard and stressful. And they were just so terrified.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Dr. Dale Archer, what is it about this little young man who makes him capable of being so articulate and taking such proactive action?

DR. DALE ARCHER, CLINICAL PSYCHIATRIST: Well, you know, it`s really hard whenever a crisis occurs to predict how so anyone is going to respond and people you think would do very well often don`t.

The one that defines someone who response well, is they don`t over- think or analyze the situation too much and that`s some advantage that a child has.

Also, I have to think that this child had been trained by his parents or by someone about 911 and about how to use that phone in order to make that call.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, they said -- he actually said in the news conference he was trained to call 911.

Everybody, stay right where you are. We`re going to have more on this amazing 7-year-old right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

CARLOS: Can you come really fast, please, please?

BATINA: Can you tell me what happened?

CARLOS: They come, they ring the door and they have guns to shoot my mom and dad.

BATINA: Right now?

CARLOS: Yes. Can you come really fast? Bring cops, a lot of them.

BATINA: I have them coming.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Astounding. That was a 7-year-old boy on the phone with the 911 operator who we have on the phone with us right now.

He called for help from a bathroom after three gunmen burst into this home. His quick thinking helped save the family. When the gunmen found out that cops were on their way, they took off. The family`s ok.

Leslie, North Carolina, your question or thought, ma`am.

LESLIE, NORTH CAROLINA (via telephone): Yes, hi, Jane.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Hi.

LESLIE: I just wanted to tell Monique what a wonderful job she did on that phone call.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes.

LESLIE: The little boy is a hero, but I can`t help but worry that they didn`t hold the press conference with these suspects still out there. That really bothers me.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Leslie, good point. John Lucich, former criminal investigator.

JOHN LUCICH, FORMER CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR: Yes. You know, this guy - - this kid did a great job in providing information to the cops. Being trained in running to the -- it just goes to show this kid`s character.

And you know the one thing that makes him a great American hero, he looks at cops and soldiers as the people that are always going to protect him.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, but the woman`s point was maybe they shouldn`t have done this before the suspects have been caught. I think it`s a valid point, but yet, you know, we get so few happy endings these days. The family`s safe.

We, here at ISSUES we get so sad covering sad stories all the time it really makes us happy to cover a happy story.

At first we thought this next clip was the moment gunmen forced their way into the bathroom where this little boy and his sister were hiding. You`re going to hear one of the kids screaming. Listen carefully.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

BATINA: Yes. Stay on the line with me. Don`t hang up. Listen to me. We`re coming to help you, but listen to me, ok?

CARLOS: Ok.

BATINA: When you were in the house, tell me exactly what happened. Ok? Just stay where you are and don`t hang up, whatever you do.

CARLOS: Ok. Ok. They were -- the guys, they have --

BATINA: Hey, we need (INAUDIBLE) we have a home invasion. And he`s saying that they shot the mom and the dad and the 7-year-old was screaming 911 in the phone.

(INAUDIBLE)

Yes. But they just broke into the bathroom and took the kids.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Monique, you must have just been dying when you heard that. What exactly happened there? Because then the little boy later said at the news conference they didn`t get into the bathroom and find him.

BATINA: You know, my heart just fell at that moment, just hearing both of them screaming, his little sister first. You know, I think -- he was a little distracted in the middle of talking to me.

Not knowing -- trying to explain to me exactly what was happening at that moment, and I think -- I don`t know -- from the bang that I heard it sounded like they kicked or hit open the door.

I`m not in there with him. I can`t tell you if it was cracked, if, you know, if they just pushed open the rest of it or if it was locked. All I know is, they were telling me they were hiding in the bathroom. And at one point the suspects had seen them.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. They did because you hear, "Fool," and he goes, who are you on the phone with? He said 911. They obviously did see him and that`s the key, Monique, is that he saved them because when they saw that he was on 911 they took off.

BATINA: That`s right.

They did. And, you know, he was so scared and I was trying to calm him down at the press conference. I mean, we were all a nervous wreck. Me, myself, I was shaking. I was barely able to try to catch my breath because I was so nervous.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, you`re a hero, he`s a hero.

BATINA: We`ve never been in that situation.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: You`re watching HLN.

END